BRUINS NOTEBOOK: Bruins may need Justin Florek to fill hole in lineup

The Bruins, who open the playoffs on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings, haven't had wingers Chris Kelly or Daniel Paille on the ice this week because of injuries. Justin Florek, recalled from AHL Providence, may make his NHL playoff debut as a result.

WILMINGTON – The Bruins promoted seven forwards from their AHL affiliate in Providence during the regular season and three of them got longer looks than Justin Florek.

If the B’s need a forward to fill out their lines for Friday’s start of a first-round playoff series against the Detroit Red Wings, though, it looks like Florek is their guy.

With left wings Chris Kelly (back) and Daniel Paille (head) both injured at the end of the regular season, Florek was recalled Tuesday on an emergency basis. He practiced Wednesday in Kelly’s usual spot, at left wing on a line with center Carl Soderberg and right wing Loui Eriksson.

“Whatever happens, happens,” said Florek, the Bruins’ fifth-round draft choice (No. 135 overall) in 2010. “If I get the chance, I’ll be ready to play.”

A second-year pro after four seasons at Northern Michigan, Florek was ready when the Bruins called him up for his first three NHL games in January. After a scoreless debut on Jan. 4 against Winnipeg, he scored his first NHL point (an assist) on Jan. 7 at Anaheim and netted his first NHL goal two nights later at Los Angeles.

Florek, who played fewer games than previous call-ups Ryan Spooner (23), Matt Fraser (14) and Nick Johnson (9), also got into Sunday’s regular-season finale at New Jersey. Skating that day with Soderberg and Eriksson, Florek had three shots in 16 minutes of ice time.

“I’ve liked the way he’s played when he was with us,” said coach Claude Julien, who praised Florek, a 6-foot-4, 205-pounder, as “a big body” against the Devils. “I haven’t seen him as much as the people above me, but they feel that right now, he’s the guy that can be here to help us if we don’t have some of our guys back.”

Florek, who had 19 goals, 38 points and a plus-17 rating in 69 games this season at Providence, is excited about the possibility of making his NHL debut.

“It’s something I’ve been working for my whole life, especially this year,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get the opportunity to get up here and play, and help the team.”

AROUND THE BOARDS

Jordan Caron practiced Wednesday in Paille’s spot, completing the Merlot Line with Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton … Eriksson, center Patrice Bergeron and defensemen Andrej Meszaros, all thought to be victims of a flu bug that has hit the team, practiced after missing Tuesday’s workout. Defensemen Matt Bartkowski and Kevan Miller were absent for the second day in a row … Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg continued rehabilitation from knee surgery with an on-ice workout before practice.